UAE, Bahrain and Oman rise to top 20 most popular countries for expats

The survey shows the UAE in 10th position for most popular countries for expats.

Rory via Flickr

Bahrain came 13th overall in the survey of most popular countries for expats

The HSBC Expat Explorer Survey 2017 polled nearly 30,000 migrant workers around the globe. The survey compared salaries, career growth potential, job security and savings, and asked people about social issues, such as how easy it was to make friends, health care and access to culture. The survey included questions about how easy it was raise children, how safe people felt where they were living and general quality of life.

The survey shows the UAE has moved up two notches to 10th in the world since last year, ahead of destinations such as the US, UK and Hong Kong. Singapore is still number one, and Norway climbed six places to number two, while New Zealand dropped a place to number three. Germany and the Netherlands both climbed dramatically into the top five compared to the previous year. Switzerland dropped from the fifth spot in the 2016 rankings to the 11th place. Bahrain was ranked 13th, from ninth in 2016, and Oman was 15th, moving up three places from the previous year. The UAE scored high on economic areas, coming fifth overall, but less well on social and family lives. “Expats living in the UAE are rewarded for their hard work… (it) attracts a wide range of people keen to live and work away from home,” the report stated. With more expats in the UAE than any other country, their main motive to moving to the UAE was to improve earnings.

At a glance:

The UAE has moved up 2 notches to 10th

Singapore remains number 1

New Zealand dropped from 2nd to 3rd

Bahrain was ranked 13th

Oman moved up 3 places to 15th

“With a small local population, the UAE’s economy depends on qualified expats who move here to boost their income. It came fifth in the economics category of our 2017 Expat Explorer Survey, with high rankings for disposable income, wage growth and career progression” the report added.

Bahrain came 13th overall in the survey, scoring particularly well on earning potential and for raising children, with 71 percent of those questioned believing there were better opportunities than in their home countries. “Bahrain also scored highly as a place to raise children – 71% of expat parents believe their children have a better quality of life than in their home country and 57% said that Bahrain offered better health and wellbeing options for their offspring,” the report explained.

“Arabian peninsula’s scenic gem,” Oman is described as laid back and accepting, as well as tolerant. But while Oman climbed three places in the 2017 survey, expats were finding it harder to find work. “It’s becoming more difficult for expats to get a job in the country due to its Omanization program,” the report explained. “If you’re able to work in Oman, you’ll probably earn well and have a higher disposable income than you did back home. And there’ll be plenty of opportunities for you to spend your money – from dining in gourmet restaurants to shopping at traditional markets known as souks.”

Other countries included India at 14th, while the Philippines were 24th – ahead of the US and the UK which ranked 27th and 35th respectively, while Saudi Arabia was 40th, Kuwait came 42nd and Egypt 46th.